The Best Student Cities list, published this week by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), is dominated by European cities - London, Vienna, Zurich, Berlin and Dublin all make it into the top 10.

The USA's improving economic climate has led to an increase in charitable donations, a new study has revealed.

The annual Philanthropy 50 list reveals that donors gave $10.4 billion in 2011, up from $3.3 billion the previous year. The 2011 figure was the lowest since the Chronicle of Philanthropy began publishing the report in 2000. The list does not record gifts from anonymous donors, which the Chronicle has previously reported totaled $546 million in 2011.

The question sounds like the catchphrase of a dystopian novel. "Do you trust your government?" Fiction, however, this is not.

A study published this week has revealed that trust in political institutions has dropped drastically worldwide in the past year.

Employment practices, as we all know, vary greatly from country to country. Susan Javaheri, of Newcomer's Immigration & Relocation Sweden, has been kind enough to provide us with some insight into how business is done in her country. 

A Swedish manager thinks of himself more as a coach than a commander, delegating responsibility and authority throughout the organization. In workplaces of all kinds, people are expected to take initiatives for improving the job and assume responsibility for solving unexpected problems. In Sweden, people at all levels are expected to participate in decisions that affect them.

In the UK, we are used to the notion that Father Christmas arrives on a sleigh to deliver presents, but in the Czech Republic and Slovakia it is said he climbs down to earth from heaven on a golden rope.

Here are some examples of how Christmas is celebrated in the rest of the world.

In Italy, the Christmas season lasts three weeks, starting eight days prior to Christmas (Novena) and extending until the Feast of Epiphany. Presents are exchanged on 6 January, but there is also a small gift given on Christmas Day itself.

Traditionally, fish is eaten on Christmas Day, although it is not unknown for meat to be eaten instead. (Buon Natale – Merry Christmas)

Using the latest figures from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the Bertelsmann Foundation in Berlin sought to calculate "social justice" in 31 of the world's wealthiest nations. According to the study, Britain ranks 15th, far behind leaders Iceland.

Increasing globalisation has changed the way in which the world does business. Citizens in the USA shop at the same stores as their Sri Lankan equivalents, whilst South American products can be found all over Europe.

This trend has brought many benefits; a greater choice of products, easier and cheaper travel, and so on. It does, however, mean that the (often interesting) disparities between nations are becoming less and less evident.

Business people may appear to be speaking the same language, but do they really understand one another? How important is cultural understanding? And should native English speakers adapt their language when communicating with non-native English speakers?

The London School of English has carried out research in which it questioned 100 HR directors on their attitudes towards language and communication skills and their approach to training.

The questions were designed to cover the increasing number of professional non-native English speakers working in the UK, as well as native English speakers.

A major survey involving readers of The Guardian has found that under half of UK citizens call themselves British.

Responses from more than 16,500 people showed that residents of England were the most likely to call themselves British when asked to "plant a flag" where they lived. A large majority of Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish residents, however, reject that label.